Come Clarity
by Chloe M. Kennedy
Summary: Itachi finally realizes in the end who he belongs with.  AU


**Come Clarity**

I want you to lead me

Take me somewhere

Don't want to live in a dream

One more day

In Flames "Come Clarity"

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><p>Itachi threw a series of kunai at his target, each of them hitting one after another. The dark haired Sharingan wielder slightly lifted his arm up and proceeded to wipe the beads of sweat coating his eyebrows. While he was training for his upcoming mission, his teammates were carousing the village. Most likely, they were getting drunk at one of the local bars, picking up women and telling tales. At the age of 12 going on 13, Itachi was more than glad he hadn't developed a general interest in women (or in his case, girls). His lack of interest, especially at his age, scared his mother at first…at least, until his father intervened. Ever since, his mother had tread the topic of girls very carefully around her eldest son.<p>

Itachi was about to throw a couple more rounds of kunai when he heard a familiar yell.

"Niisan!"

Itachi turned around to find none other than his little brother, Sasuke, running straight towards him, a little blonde boy in tow. Sasuke let go of the said boy's hand and threw himself at Itachi, wrapping his arms around the elder boy's waist.

"Guess who I met today, Niisan!" shouted Sasuke with glee. Itachi looked from Sasuke to the other boy, who grinned from ear to ear. The boy had the brightest blonde he had ever seen in his entire life. Somehow, Itachi was oddly reminded of the Fourth Hokage. Itachi looked back down at Sasuke.

"Who, Sasuke- kun?"

"Naruto!" smiled Sasuke, pointing to his blonde playmate, "He's the Hokage's son!"

Itachi slightly smiled at Sasuke and gently ruffled the younger boy's hair.

"Of course he is. They have the same hair and smile."

"Guess who else I met today, Niisan!"

Itachi looked around. He didn't see anyone else, but thought it would probably be better to ask any way.

"Who else, Sasuke- kun?"

"Sakura- chan! Where are you?" shouted Naruto suddenly. The little boy ran in the direction from which he and Sasuke came from. Moments later, Naruto returned. The little boy was leading a smaller, pink- haired girl. Itachi could tell by her demeanor that she was shy, especially when compared to Sasuke and Naruto. Sasuke let go of Itachi and turned around, placing his hands upon his hips in a childish manner.

"Niisan won't bite, Sakura- chan! I promise!"

The little girl quickly hid behind Naruto and peeked from behind him. Itachi slowly walked past Sasuke and toward Naruto and Sakura. He kneeled down next to Naruto, hoping to coax the little girl away from her hiding place.

"Sasuke- kun is right, Sakura- chan. I won't bite."

Sakura continued to hide behind Naruto. Itachi then had an idea. Still on his knees, Itachi picked a nearby flower and handed it to Sakura.

"A pretty flower for an equally pretty young lady," whispered Itachi, smiling. Sakura examined the Uchiha's intentions carefully before she took it and gave Itachi a timid smile in return.

"Thank you, Itachi- san."

Itachi then got to his feet and patted Sakura on the head.

"Sasuke, I think it's time to head home. We can drop your friends off on out way."

Sasuke smiled and ran toward Naruto, grabbing the blonde boy's wrist.

"Let's go, Naru- kun!"

The two young boys ran out of the training ground, shouting and laughing. Itachi was about to go after the boys when he felt someone lightly grab his hand. He looked down to find Sakura clutching his hand.

"Thank you again, Itachi- san."

Itachi flashed a gentle smile at Sakura, squeezing her hand.

"Please call me Itachi- kun if you wish, Sakura- chan."

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><p>Twenty-year-old Itachi Uchiha made his way towards the gates of Konoha, covered in mud and dried blood. His mission became a success, but that success came at a high price. Itachi was the sole survivor of a mission that had eventually took the lives of his fellow ANBU teammates.<p>

As the Uchiha walked through the gates, he heard a timid voice.

"Uchiha- san! You're injured!"

Itachi looked to find a white- eyed chuunin looking back at him, eyes wide.

"I'm fine, Hyuuga- san," Itachi quietly replied, "It's not that se…"

The chuunin watched in horror as the Uchiha collapsed to the ground before her.

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><p>"Stats are stable," a female voice spoke, "He should be fine, Hinata- chan."<p>

"What caused he to collapse like that, Sakura- chan?" Hinata whispered.

"Exhaustion," replied Sakura, "Most likely from overusage of the Sharingan. He should be back on his feet in less than a day. Thank you for bringing him in."

"You're welcome, Sakura- chan."

And without another word, the door opened and closed. Itachi slowly opened his eyes.

"What happened?" he asked in a coarse, sleepy like voice. He felt a hand wrap their way gently around his wrist.

"You collapsed at the gates," replied the pink haired woman standing next to him, dressed in a nurse's gown. She smiled at the Uchiha before her.

"Hinata- chan and Neji- sama were doing gate duty at the time of your collapse and brought you in," Sakura continued, "You know what, Itachi?"

"What?" asked Itachi.

"That was a very creative way to greet your girlfriend, you know."

Itachi vaguely smiled back at the pink headed girl.

"It wasn't my intentions to do it, Sakura. Believe me."

Sakura let go of Itachi's wrist and picked up her clipboard.

"You're free to go in a couple of hours, but I would like you to stay overnight for observation, Itachi, just in case it wasn't just exhaustion."

The Uchiha muttered and glared at Sakura.

"I don't care how many people you have killed with that glare, Itachi. It doesn't work with me."

Itachi hnn'ed in a very traditional Uchiha manner.

"Sasuke is coming over to visit later," continued Sakura, "He would have come over sooner if it wasn't for those genin he was assigned. I swear those boys act like Naruto and Sasuke when we were their age."

Itachi slightly chuckled.

"Which means that in a few years, they'll be inseparable."

Sakura knew exactly what he meant and laughed. She then leaned in a placed a kiss on Itachi's cheek.

"I'll see you later, Itachi."

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><p>While on mission, I nearly lost the girl that meant everything to me, all because of my stupidity. We were on a peacekeeping mission to Kumogakure with Sakura's former genin teammate, Naruto and the genius of the Hyuuga clan and heir, Neji Hyuuga. One night, Sakura and I got into an argument. She threw the ring that I had once given her at me and left. I found myself later that evening at a local bar, drinking myself into a stupor, when Naruto found me. After a lengthy talk, I realized then and there how much she meant to me and left Naruto there to go look for Sakura. I located her about an hour later in the most compromising of situations.<p>

She was pinned against the wall by a man. By looking at the man's clothing, I knew he was of jounin level and from Kumogakure. She was struggling to escape from his grasp, but he had continued to pin her against the wall. I immediately activated my Sharingan and ran to Sakura's aid. Once the jounin fell to the ground, under my genjutsu, I looked at Sakura and deactivated my Sharingan. She looked at me wide eyed. Moments later, she collapsed into my arms, crying.

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><p>"Daddy!" shouted a small, dark haired child, "Daddy!"<p>

Itachi looked up from polishing his weapons at a little girl. She had a toy kunai in her hand.

"Yes, Mizuki?" asked Itachi, placing his own kunai onto the floor.

"Aiko said her first word, Daddy!"

Itachi smiled. "What did she say?"

"She said daddy!"

_I love my life…and I wouldn't change it for the world…_

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><p>AN: Characters do not belong to me...*sigh*

Also, "Come Clarity" does not belong to me...I just love the song...


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